ARSONISTS have forced rangers at a country park to abandon their office after a fire caused £10,000 worth of damage to the building.

Flames spread from a notice board into the eaves of the roof of the combined toilet and office block at Lightwater Country Park.

Dave Sanger, parks and countryside manager for Surrey Heath Council said he was “hacked off” with those responsible for the blaze.

He said the public toilets are closed and the rangers have decamped into the visitors’ centre.

Camberley firefighters said 80% of the roof was severely damaged, with 50% of the ground floor of the block also affected by the incident.

Paul Risbridger, white watch leading firefighter, said: “The fire came out of the roof and it was put out pretty quickly but it stripped the roof off.”

He said 11 firefighters were called out to the blaze and it was under control within five minutes of the crews arriving at 7.50pm last Friday evening.

They remained on the scene until 10pm to damp down areas of the building.

Mr Sanger said the roof space was used to keep items used by the rangers and visitors to the park. He said there were exhibition boards, tents and pieces of equipment due to be used on the Action Holiday scheme’s Operation Stonechat this week.

“Some bits have to be re-placed. But Operation Stone-chat will go ahead at the visitors’ centre, but it might be a slightly reduced exhibition.”

The activity is billed as a week-long playscheme, which gives children the opportunity to explore the countryside using natural materials and enjoying the outdoors.

On the course, children would be able to get to grips with survival skills and fishing, as well as having close encounters with the local wildlife.

Mr Sanger told the Mail the council would be working with the fire and rescue service in a bid to prevent any more arson attacks at the country park.

“What can I say? We get a lot of problems from youngsters and it’s a shame that they can’t find something a bit more constructive to do with their time.

“They cause a lot of expense through their mindless actions. We are looking at about £5,000 to £10,000 for the building, but it has got lots of bits and pieces that have been damaged.

“It’s fairly obvious that someone started it but the police don’t have any real clues – or if they have, can’t prove it.”

The parks and countryside manager added that buildings at the Lightwater Country Park had been targeted before, when the £50,000 visitors’ centre had been razed to the ground eight years ago.

A police spokeswoman said the fire was being treated as suspicious and they were investigating.

She said children were seen running from the building and anyone with information about the August 8 blaze should contact the beat officer for Lightwater, Pc Mick Whalley, on 0845 1252222.